Below are news stories relevant to the Second Congressional District of South Carolina and my campaign for Congress, as well as some of my published essays and articles that represent my worldview and political philosophy.

Undeterred, Arik Bjorn said he plans to run again. He said he would consider taking on Joe Wilson, challenging for Republican state Rep. Kirkman Finlay’s S.C. House seat or running for governor in 2018.

“The vast majority of people run for city council or school board, a much smaller seat the first time,” Bjorn said. “I jumped into the big ocean because nobody else would, and now I have the accumulated experience of 12 years packed into eight months.”

“I know I have established myself as a person of reason who has thought through the issues carefully, someone who takes stands on what he believes to be a better way,” he said. “The funny thing is, tomorrow morning when we wake up, Joe Wilson will still have voted no on the Violence Against Women Act, and unemployment in the district will still be 8.5 percent. Unfortunately, 62 percent of the people seem to be fine with that.

“In 2018, I want people to be nervous,” Bjorn added. “I want (GOP state Rep.) Kirkman Finlay to be nervous. I want anyone who wants the governor’s mansion to be nervous. I want Joe to be nervous…. There are a lot of options out there (for me).”

“The people of S.C. Congressional District Two did not have a viable other candidate for years,” Bjorn added. “They have one now. They have an outspoken leader in me. And when I say leader, really I just say the light of reason that’s in all of us. I’m just willing to express it and carry the burden of certain work.

Arik Bjorn, Wilson’s Democratic opponent, works the crowd while Wilson speaks. “Joe lied about voting for the Violence Against Women Act,” Bjorn tells a pair of people bent over their udon and spicy pork. “The other day on ETV.”

This is Bjorn’s issue of the week: knocking the incumbent over his 2013 vote against a bipartisan bill that renewed and expanded resources for fighting domestic violence…A Wilson spokesperson says the congressman voted against the final version.

Bjorn: “Standing for limited government has worked so well that last night 300,000 people reclined without healthcare in our state. The poorest of the poor. We’re not going to expand Medicaid expansion (in South Carolina). Just in our district alone, you can fill Williams-Brice Stadium over and again with 90,000 who don’t have healthcare. One in seven don’t have jobs. You have a Republican-controlled governor, General Assembly, most of the delegation to the federal government, and we’re in tatters. Our infrastructure is rated an “F” by the American Society of Civil Engineers…. We have such limited government we have no structure around us. The fact of the matter is, government has a job to do. It’s to link and protect individuals and communities and industry. And when it does its job, it’s a powerful, effective force. And when it doesn’t do its job, that’s what we see in South Carolina.”

As I reflect on the one-year anniversary of the 1,000-Year Flood, it appears clear that Joe Wilson just doesn’t give a dam. Or a bridge or a road.

South Carolina has more than 1,800 deficient bridges—and 7 of the Top 10 most-traveled, deficient bridges are in South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District. One-third of South Carolina’s interstate pavement is classified as “fair or poor.” One-third of the dam breaches in our state during the Historic Flood occurred in Congressman Wilson’s SC District 2 backyard—on his watch. An unchecked watch that has lasted 7 terms and 15 years.

Joe Wilson hasn’t done his job. But I will vote to invest in Infrastructure in South Carolina, and by doing so, we can eliminate unemployment and keep our state safe.

Arik Bjorn, Wilson’s Democratic opponent, also opposes TPP, noting that Congress will only get an up or down vote on the deal. He calls the international tribunal a deal breaker: ‘I don’t know who that doesn’t concern other than the corporate attorneys who get to sit on that tribunal,’ he says.

However, Bjorn credits Obama for his work on the agreement, saying we need to manage China’s power through our own agreements with other Asian-Pacific countries: ‘China has a plan and it’s a very long term plan, and the U.S., rarely do we craft a plan more than two, four, eight years out, based on election cycles. What I believe President Obama was attempting to do was craft a plan that recognizes China on the global economic chessboard.’

“And having students asking the questions is fantastic,” Bjorn said. “I think it’s the perfect environment to address the future voices, the future voters of the district,” Bjorn added. “I’m very, very excited to address our future workforce. On them hinges so much responsibility for our prosperity. They deserve to know, as much as anybody else, our platforms.”

For their part, Cherny and Dixon have teamed up with Bjorn and Hyman to form the “Blue Brothers,” providing a support system on the campaign trail when money, manpower and resources can’t come through. … Arik Bjorn, a librarian who managed the StateSmart Program, is going up against U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a firmly-implanted establishment figure with a 15-year tenure.

Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, Democratic Columbia librarian Arik Bjorn and American Party candidate Eddie McCain will square off on Nov. 4 in front of a crowd of roughly 800 students at River Bluff High School.

Arik Bjorn of Columbia says a look at the 2012 ballot inspired him to run for the 2nd District seat in the U.S. House this year. “I walked into my poll and it was (Republican incumbent) Joe Wilson versus nobody. That moment had a lasting impact for me,” said the Richland librarian, who won the Democrats’ June primary for the 2nd District seat.

Bjorn said Democrats have to “wake up” and start running for offices, even if it means losing. “Who cares how impossible the district seems? Will nobody stand for democratic principles?”

Speakers during the Aiken County Democratic Party’s 12th annual Fish Fry on Thursday night urged the audience to work hard and try to turn South Carolina from a red state to a blue state. “In South Carolina, the barbarians aren’t at the gate,” said Arik Bjorn. “They own the gate, and they will continue to own the gate until we get over our political depression and know that we can win.”

South Carolina, home to the Bonded headquarters, is also home to one of these change-makers who knows “there’s a better way.” Arik Bjorn, candidate for South Carolina’s Second Congressional District, is a single father, public servant, writer, and progressive candidate running on a platform that includes, among other things: infrastructure, healthcare, worker’s rights, and of particular interest to us, women’s rights.

A political newcomer is hoping to shake up the Republican grip on South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District.

Long-time incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) has accepted a debate challenge from his Democratic opponent Arik Bjorn, a 43-year-old public librarian from Columbia making his first-ever bid for elected office.

“Congressman Wilson wants to discuss the issues important to South Carolinians, and our campaigns are working out the details” of the debate, Wilson campaign manager Brielle Appelbaum confirmed by email.

Librarian Arik Bjorn on Saturday officially clinched the right to face veteran U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a Lexington County Republican, in the Nov. 8 general election. … “We’re really excited that for the first time in a long time, the nominee for the 2nd Congressional District is going to be a real Democrat,” S.C. Democratic Party chairman Jaime Harrison said.

Arik Bjorn has been declared the winner of the Democratic primary in South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional race by 45 votes out of more than 19,000 cast. The South Carolina Election Commission certified the results Saturday afternoon after a recount mandated by law.

Librarian Arik Bjorn and semi-retired hardware store owner Phil Black must wait until Saturday to learn which of them will face veteran U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-Springdale, in the Nov. 8 general election. Arik Bjorn has been declared the winner of the Democratic primary in South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional race by 45 votes out of more than 19,000 cast. The South Carolina Election Commission certified the results Saturday afternoon after a recount mandated by law.

The South Carolina Democratic Party has endorsed Arik Bjorn for South Carolina’s Second Congressional District over his Democratic Primary opponent, a former Republican, Phil Black. The South Carolina Democratic Party called Bjorn an “excellent Democratic candidate” who “strongly supports Democratic party positions on issues.”

Arik Bjorn: “Phil Black is a down-the-line Tea Party republican who is trying to hoodwink the voters of South Carolina’s District 2.” … “The [Democratic] Party has endorsed Bjorn in the primary – something it has only done once before….”

“Party chair Jaime Harrison confirmed Friday morning that the party’s executive committee voted Thursday to endorse Arik Bjorn over Phil Black. A resolution passed by the committee calls Black ‘a “Fake Democrat” who ran as a Republican in 2008, 2010 and 2012 and exhibits none of our Democratic values.’ It also cites a May 11 Free Times article in which Black called himself ‘a Democrat on paper.’”

Lexington County Democratic Party Chair Randy Herald: “Arik understands that the purpose of government is to do for us what we cannot do individually. This begins with taking care of our national security and especially the men and women who provide that security. He also supports the infrastructure which provides South Carolinians the means to compete on a world stage, whether it be highways, healthcare, or education. The future of our state and country is in building up, not tearing down. Mr. Bjorn embodies the Democratic ideals of citizen-oriented service.”

Bjorn is a public librarian and former manager of the South Carolina SmartState Program, an economic development program that produced jobs and industrial-academic partnerships throughout the state. … “We used to use the term ‘civil servants’ to describe government officials. I’m a servant of the people every day, and that’s how I envision going to Washington,” Bjorn said. “We’ve lost the sense of public service. I will be your public servant and your foot washer.”

“Let Your Voice Be Heard!” at WHCR 90.3 FM in New York City talks with South Carolina 2nd Congressional District Candidate Arik Bjorn about his campaign to unseat incumbent Republican “Status Quo” Joe Wilson.

When South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Jaime Harrison spoke at this year’s historic 140th Galivants Ferry Stump—the oldest and most famous Democratic Party stump event in the United States—he went to the political woodshed for a quote that could not be a clearer sign of the times to all Democrats from sea to shining sea…

Bjorn says [his opponent] is “misrepresenting his own political philosophy on the ballot.” … “I think he’s a dishonorable human being,” Bjorn says. “He’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing. At least we know where somebody like Ted Cruz stands, or even Joe Wilson — and it’s hard to be more dishonorable than Joe Wilson.”

“I remember sitting in the booth, and looking at the ballot and seeing ‘Joe Wilson unopposed’,” said Arik Bjorn, Joe Wilson’s progressive challenger. “Nobody has the right to waltz off to Washington on my watch.”

I have been told multiple times that my campaign truly is David versus Goliath. People often forget that, with his slingshot, David was not a disadvantaged warrior. He was in fact an expert positioned to win. As such, the stones in my pouch are the true principles of the Democratic Party—the building blocks of Civilization. With these stones, I am positioned to win. For these stones have always felled giants and barbarians when thrown with precision and force. In the coming weeks, I will not hesitate to sling these stones. Philistines, take heed. …